Apparatus for automatically greasing hoisting or hauling ropes.



PATENTED JUNE 14, 1-904.

' P. MAOADAM. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY GREASING HOISTING 0R HAULINGROPES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6. 1902.

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No. 762,329. PATENTED JUNE 14, 190A.

' I P.-MAGADAM. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY GRBASING HOISTING 0R HAULINGROPES.

I APPLICATION FILED OUT. 6. 1902.

PATENTED JUNE 14, 190.4;

No.v 762,329.

- P. MAOADAM. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIG'ALLYGREASING HOISTING OR HAULINGROPES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 6, 1902.

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N0 MODEL.

- No. 762,329. PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904.

. -P. MAGADAM. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY GREASING HOISTING OR HAULINGROPES.

APPLICATION FILED 0016, 1902.

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No. 762,329. I

UNITED STATES Patented June 14, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY GREASING HOISTING R HAULING ROPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 762,329, dated June14, 1904.

Application filed October 6, 1902.

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, PETER MACADAM, a sub-. ject of the King of GreatBritain, residing on the property of the Crown Deep Gold Mining Company,Limited, near J ohannesburg, Transvaal, have invented a certain new anduseful Improved Apparatus for Automatically Greasing Hoisting or HaulingRopes, (for which Ihave applied for Letters Patent in the Transvaal, No.461, filed July. 31, 1902,) ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus or machine primarily designed forautomatically greasing the wire hoisting-ropes employed in the shafts ofmines. It may be utilized, how ever, for greasing wire hoisting orhauling ropes employed for mechanical haulage in mines or for otheranalogous purposes. As now carried out the greasing of these ropes ismostly done by hand, and as a consequence it v is a lengthy andlaborious operation.

' In my improved apparatus the greasing of the rope is effected in anefficient and. expeditious manner by the friction of the wire ropepassing through two belts or bands which work in a grease tank or tanksat their lower ends. By this means the apparatus is automatically drivenor operated by the rope in its passage through the machine.

The apparatus may be used to grease either vertical or inclined ropes ofround or fiat section. I

In addition to effecting a very great saving of time over hand-greasingI also effect a great saving in the quantity of grease used, as Imaintain it in a hot and liquid state during the operation.

As the greasing can be accomplished so expeditiously; it Will'permit theoperation to be performed more frequently and as a result considerablyprolong the life of the rope, and, further, accidents through the ropesbreaking owing to inside corrosion and want of outside dressing orgreasing will be largely obviated, as sufficient time can at all timesbe allowed to use the machine.

The invention will now be described in detail by the aid of theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 illustrates in part-sectionaleleva- Serial No. 126,159. (No model.)

tion the apparatus designed for greasinga vertical rope; Fig. 2, atransverse section of Fig. 1 on line 0 m. Fig. 3represents inpart-sectional elevation the apparatus designed for greasing an inclinedrope, and Fig. 4 is a section of Fig. 3 on line y.

Referring to the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, which embodiesthe invention as adapted for greasing a vertical rope or a ropetraveling in a vertical direction, a a designate two tanks which formholders or receptacles for the grease. These tanks, which may be of anydesired and convenient shape, are shown bolted to a plate a by means ofbolts or the "like passing through holes a formed in the flanges a Bythis construction the plate 6& forms one side of both of the tanks. Theplate a is strengthened by the webs a. The tanks a a are so arranged andfixed to the plate a as to leave a space or passage between them at thecenter of the plate. To the plate (1 inside each of the tanks 0 a isfixed a spindle b. On each of the spindles I) is mounted a flangedpulley 6 IF, capable of revolving freely thereon. On the side plate aabove the level of the tanks a a is bolted or otherwise convenientlyfixed an upper plate 0. In the upper plate 0 two adjustable spindles 0 0are fixed, on each of which is loosely mounted a flanged pulley dd,respectively. To permit of any required adjustment of the pulleys (Z (Zin relation to each other according to the thickness of the rope to begreased, the holes d in the plate 0, in which the spindles c c arefixed, are elongated, as seen in Fig. 1. An endless belt or band 6 isarranged round the two pairs of pulleys I) l and b CZ. The two belts apass through the' grease in the tanks in passing round the pulleys b 6The belts or bands 6 may be made of leather, cotton,-hemp, manila, flax,rubber, jute, wire-brush, or other suitable material. The belts 0 may behollowed, as shown at f in Fig. 2, so as to fit round ropes of circularsection, or be made flat for fiat ropes. The rope it in passing throughthe apparatus passes between the adjustable pulleys d d and between thebelts 0. (See Fig. 1.) The rope it on being set slowly in motionrevolves the pulleys (Z cl, and so drives the belts e, which take up therequisite quantity of grease and press the same into the rope. Byvarying the speed of the rope ii the quantity of grease lifted by thebelts 0 may be regulated. A removable steam-heating coil ,7' may bearranged in the tanks a a to raise the grease to and maintain it at thedesired temperature. The heating-coil j may be dispensed with when theconsistency of the grease is such that it can be used without heating,or the grease may be heated in any other convenient manner.

Referring to the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4E, adapting theinvention for the greasing of an inclined rope, represents a tank boltedor otherwise fixed to the side plate and standard Z. To the plate orstandard I inside the tank is fixed a spindle m, on which spindle twoflanged pulleys m m are loosely mounted, one for each of the two belts9219. In the plate Z at the top of the tank an adjustable spindle n isfixed, on which is loosely mounted a pulley a. The pulleys m and 12/form one pair for one of the belts m as is shown in Fig. 3. To the topof the plate or standard i above the tank 7:; is secured an upper plateor bracket 0. An adjustable spindle p is fixed to the plate 0, on whichspindle a flanged pulley p is loosely mounted. The pulley is arrangedabove the pulley a, as shown, and the rope 0* in passing through theapparatus passes between them. The top of the bracket 0 forms anoverhanging arm 0, in which is arranged a spindle 8. On the spindle 8two flanged pulleys s x are arranged, over which the belt m, which runsover the pulleys m and 12, passes. The belt passes over the pulley s,then round the pulley p, and back over the pulley s to the pulley W Asteam-heating coil is shown arranged in the tank 7:: for the purposeexplained with reference to theother arrangement.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is 1. In an apparatus of the class described two vsasaepulleys between which the rope to be greased passes, flexible meanspassing around the pulleys and means for supplying the flexible meanswith grease, substantially as described. 2. In an apparatus forgreasing, hoisting or hauling ropes which travel in a verticaldirection, the combination of two grease-tanks arranged so as to form apassage between them, a pulley mounted inside each of said tanks, twopulleys mounted on adjustable spindles above the tanks, and two endlessbelts arranged round the two pairs of pulleys, between which the ropepasses, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the kind described, in combination, twogrease-tanks arranged side by side and with a passage between them, apulley mounted in the interior of each tank, two adjustable pulleysmounted on spindles above the tanks, and two endless bands, betweenwhich the rope passes, arranged round the two pairs of pulleys, andmeans for raising the grease to the required temperature, substantiallyas described. 4. In an apparatus such as described, in combination, thetwo grease-tanks a a arranged so as to forma passage between them, theplate a constituting one side of both of the tanks a a, the spindles Z)fitted to the plate a and located one inside each of the two tanks a d,the pulleys b b mounted on the spindles 6 inside the tanks (0 a, theupper plate 0 fixed to the plate a above the level of the tanks, theadjustable spindles 0 c fitted in the upper plate 0, adjustable to andfrom the passage formed between the tanks a a, the endless belts apassing round the pulleys b d and 6 d respectively and the steam-heatingmeans arranged in the tanks a a, substantially as described and shown.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

PETER MACADAM;

Witnesses:

OHAs. OVENDALE, HERMINE v. D. SCHUYT.

